


Five People, Two Relationships

by camichats



Series: Imagine James and Sirius Prompts [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Angst, Background Lily/Regulus/Remus, Brief James/Lily - Freeform, Getting Together, M/M, Marauders' Era, Multi, Pining, Slytherin Sirius Black, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 07:31:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12054252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: Sirius has a soulmark his parents hate, a brother who has two soulmates (which their parents ALSO hate), and a soulmate who has both rejected him and doesn't know that they're soulmates. His life could be going better.





	Five People, Two Relationships

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: “Could you write a soulmate au where James's soulmark could fit Lily or Sirius and he just always assumed it meant Lily so they're in a relationship even though neither of them really feel it. And then he gets to know Sirius better (maybe he's in Slytherin or they're at uni or something) and he realises that sirius is his soulmate so him and Lily break up and James and sirius live happily even after and so does Lily (with remus or marlene maybe?). Sorry, that's probably really weird and specific.”
> 
> Originally posted on [tumblr](https://imaginejamesandsirius.tumblr.com/post/165197833010/could-you-write-a-soulmate-au-where-jamess)

Sirius wanted to rub at his soulmark, but he knew better than to have a tell like that. So he glared at nothing in particular and let everyone else think what they will. An entire of summer of being isolated enough to touch it when it was unsettled had let him get comfortable, and now he was back at school. With a soulmate that had rejected him at the end of the last term. Oh yeah. It was going to be a great year.

“People are going to think you’re plotting their mass murder if you keep looking that way,” Regulus said beside him. Sirius glanced at him, but he already had his gaze back on his book. “What’s got you in a sour mood anyway?”

“Nothing,” he lied.

It was Regulus though, so he knew better and just scoffed lightly.

“What are you reading that for? I know it’s not a class.”

“Oh?” Regulus said, and tried to hide the content of his book without making it obvious that that’s what he was doing. “And since when did you pay enough attention to your classes to make that kind of judgement?”

Sirius rolled his eyes and grabbed the book before Regulus could sneak it all the way into his bag. He raised an eyebrow slightly and gave Reg a look. “Werewolves?” He checked the author. A blood purist arsehole, no surprise, probably spouting fear-mongering bullshit. “You aren’t going to learn anything from this bastard.”

“I know,” Regulus said, snatching the book back and pretending that there wasn’t a blush crossing his cheeks. “It was the only one the library had.”

“The only way you’re going to learn shite about a werewolf is to ask one.”

“Well that would defeat the purpose wouldn’t it.”

“Reg…”

“Shove off,” he grumbled, but it was obviously from embarrassment rather than anger.

“We have a resident werewolf,” he said leadingly, watching with perverse glee as Regulus’s shoulders started to hunch, “who just so happens to be unbonded. Now, the only reason I can think of ickle little Reggie to be interested in werewolves is if he has some sort of clue to--”

Reg slapped a hand over his mouth and glared. He glanced around nervously even though he knew just as well as Sirius that no one could hear them because of the silencing spell they’d put up when they sat. “ _Fine,_ okay? I think it might be him.” Slowly, he took his hand, as if daring Sirius to say something stupid so he could cover his mouth again.

“I don’t think reading that book is going to win you any points with him.”

Regulus sighed, turning back to his mostly empty plate. “I wanted to be certain.”

“Are you sure it’s him?”

“Pretty sure. What are the chances I’m going to meet a different werewolf that could be my soulmate?”

Sirius didn’t say anything. Unless Regulus moved to a different country, it was practically guaranteed that his soulmate was Lupin. Well, one of them. “It’s only one of them, right?” If it was both, Regulus’s life just became a lot more difficult.

“What?”

“Your soulmates. Only one of them is a werewolf, right?”

Regulus’s face shuttered even though he knew Sirius didn’t mean anything by it. Mother and Father insisted that Reg only had the one soulmate, that somehow the marks were merged to mean one person even though they obviously referred to two separate entities. Similarly, they pretended that Sirius didn’t have a soulmate at all because it was better than believing it was a Potter. “Seems that way.”

“C’mon Reg, cheer up. You know they’re happier with your marks than mine.”

“Barely.”

That was true enough, though they could by no stretch of the imagination be considered ‘happy’ with either of their sons. Sirius shrugged. “Couple more years and you’ll be in the clear.”

“So will you,” Regulus said, looking at him with a slight frown.

“Heir. They want me to be as miserable as both of them are. If Bella’s soulmate doesn’t turn out to be a suitable match, you know they’re going to throw us together.”

“You’ve always talked about running away,” Regulus reminded him.

Sirius gave his brother a flat look. “If I leave, they’ll just drag you into it, and I doubt you’re offering to leave with me.”

Regulus hesitated. “I might.”

“Not with at least one soulmate in arm’s reach you won’t.” Sirius pat him on the back. “But I appreciate the offer.” It’s not like James wanted him anyways. Where would he go?

* * *

_Sirius remembered getting his soulmark, looking at the design on his hip with wonder. It was a Great House crest, he knew, but he didn’t know which one. He could ask Father, couldn’t he? He’d be happy with it._

_But when he showed Father, his expression darkened, he drank from his glass quickly, the only thing stopping him from drinking directly from the bottle his sense of pride. He grabbed Sirius’s arm harshly, pulling him close so he was in his face. Sirius leaned back as much as he could, disgusted by the smell, but it wasn’t enough._

_“You don’t show anyone else this mark, you don’t tell anyone about it,” he ordered. “If someone asks, you don’t have a mark yet. Understood?”_

_“Yes sir,” Sirius mumbled, stumbling when Father let go of him. He rubbed at his arm for a moment before turning and running from the study._

_Mother knew, but only because Father told her. Sirius himself still didn’t know what it meant yet. Two years later, a fancy party he didn’t want to go to, and he found out. The Potter’s were supposed to be blood traitors._

_So what did it mean that Sirius had their crest etched into him for the rest of his life?_

* * *

_Sirius was eleven, finally out of his parents’ clutches, and excited to meet his soulmate. Purebloods talked, and they especially loved to talk about heirs, even the disgraced ones. James Potter, one of only two living Potters (not including Euphemia, who had married into the family) and the only one unbonded, was his age, and would be in his year at Hogwarts._

_It was a dream come true the way they fit together, chatting like they’d always known each other. Then again, Sirius thought, they were two halves of one soul, it made sense that they would get on._

_…But then James said something about feeling sorry for Sirius because he didn’t have a soulmate, and Sirius’s heart sank. He’d forgotten that that’s what his parents had told everyone, and with James being from a Noble House, he’d ‘know’ about it._

_It might have been salvageable-- because it was a lie and his soulmate was right there!-- but James continued on. “I’ve just met my soulmate. The redhead in our year, you know, Evans? She hates me right now, but she’ll fall for me soon,” he said confidently._

_Sirius nodded, too numb to do anything else, and that had been that. When he sat on the stool and the Sorting Hat dropped onto his head, he argued with it._

Not Gryffindor.

_It’s where James would be put, he was sure. He wouldn’t be able to survive seven years sharing a dorm with him, he just wouldn’t._

_So he fought and fought until the Hat finally called out,_ “Slytherin!” _and he didn’t look at James as he walked to the Slytherin table._

* * *

Sirius tried not to stare at Lupin in shock. He succeeded, but it was a near thing. “Not many people have two soulmates,” he said neutrally, offering him a hand up.

He’d already taken it by the time what Sirius had said sunk in, but then he flinched away, choosing to stay sat on the floor. Sirius let his hand fall by his side, then, when Lupin showed no signs of getting up, he sat criss-crossed on the ground in front of him. Sirius wanted to sigh; it’s not like he meant to run into him on the stairs, crashing both of them down. However, since he had, he couldn’t ignore this new information.

“Does Potter know?” There wasn’t any mistaking the strong outline of a lily flower, and even _less_ mistaking the leo constellation it encased, with-- surprise surprise-- the regulus star bigger than the others. Apparently Miss Evans was also a doe, based on Regulus’s second soulmark. Sirius needed to focus on Reg, that was the more immediate situation on hand.

Lupin glared at him. “You’re not going to tell him.”

Sirius raised an eyebrow, wondering if he could get away with telling Lupin that, as Potter’s soulmate, it was technically his right to inform him that his girlfriend had a soulmate that wasn’t him. Of course then he would have to admit that he’s known all along that James Potter was his soulmate, and that was _not_ a pile of hippogriff shit that he wanted to deal with right now. Or ever. Instead, he asked, “Does Regulus? I don’t know why I’m asking, really, he obviously doesn’t know. If he did, you three would already be together. Rather determined, little Reggie.”

Lupin-- hell Sirius should probably start calling him Remus since he was his brother’s soulmate-- didn’t let his expression waver, but a flash of _something_ went through his eyes. Hope, maybe?

“I wonder if his other soulmate is Lily too,” Sirius mused, purely for Remus’s benefit since Sirius didn’t believe Reg would have two soulmates that weren’t involved with each other. Regulus wasn’t going to take that first leap, unless someone nudged Remus he wouldn’t either, and like _hell_ would he talk to Evans about this even if she was the one most likely to do something with the information. “He’d be happy to hear that, I think.”

Remus snorted. “Happy that he has a muggleborn and a- someone like me for a soulmate?” The stumble in his words reminded Sirius that Remus didn’t actually know they were aware he was a werewolf. Sirius thought for a moment about telling him, but that wouldn’t go well, and besides it wasn’t his problem. “Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

“Have you ever talked to my brother?” Sirius asked pointedly. “He’s not full of as much blood purist shite as you seem to think.”

“And you?” Remus challenged, but he sounded more curious than accusatory, so that was something. It’s not like they’d fought in all their years at Hogwarts, preferring to simply not talk.

“Until my beloved parents are with the Black ancestors of generations past, the official party line is that I am.” Sirius shrugged with a helpless ‘what can you do’ air.

“And you’re telling me all this why?” he asked suspiciously.

Sirius stared at him flatly before saying, “You’re my brother’s soulmate.” Sirius got to his feet and dust off imaginary dirt from his robes. “Regardless, if you don’t tell him by tonight, I will.” He didn’t wait for a reply before he started walking away. He’d probably tell Evans tomorrow unless Reg could give a good excuse for why he shouldn’t. Even if he did, Sirius might tell her. He was selfish, and honest enough to admit it, if only to himself.

“Wait!”

Sirius paused, half-turning so he could see Remus, who had finally stood up.

He looked around, checking that no one had entered the corridor. “Does he know? About Lily?”

“Not yet. He had his suspicions about you,” Sirius added. See? He was a good person, helping other people find their soulmates even though he’d already said all this, if not in so many words. His previous good mood was rapidly turning to shite. He was happy for Reg-- really-- but that didn’t mean he wanted to be in the thick of things.

“And if I don’t tell him, you will. About both me and Lily.”

“Yep.” Sirius couldn’t deny that Evans having a confirmed soulmate in Remus and Regulus didn’t make him happy for the specific reason of breaking her and James up, but he would have told Regulus about her even if it didn’t benefit him. Knowing that didn’t lessen his building self-hatred.

“If he knows, he’ll tell Lily.”

“Probably,” Sirius lied. Regulus was many things, but brave in his personal life was not one of them. If Remus refused to tell Evans, Sirius would so Reg wouldn’t have to-- he wasn’t about to let his little brother suffer when he didn’t have to. He also didn’t know Remus well enough to trust that he’d take one for Reg. Soulmates or not, they didn’t know each other yet.

Remus chewed on his lip for a minute, before coming to a decision. “Do you know where he is right now?”

“Common room.” Unless he’d randomly decided to ditch his homework in favour of a walk like Sirius, which wasn’t likely.

“Will you take me?”

The only surprise Sirius showed was a single, out of place blink. “Sure.”

In the end, Reg was smiling, although he’d banned Sirius from being there for the conversation with the excuse that he wasn’t part of the relationship and therefore wasn’t needed. Sirius sighed dramatically, like that wasn’t the case, but left them alone. He didn’t have a chance to interrogate them about what they decided because Regulus came in the common room, gave Sirius a quick hug and smile, then left again.

Sirius was left staring after him, wanting desperately to ask if they were going to tell Evans. It was stupid, but he wanted Potter to be… unattached. Sirius couldn’t be with him, but he didn’t want anyone else to be either. They were soulmates, they belonged together. But- but they _couldn’t_ be together. Frustrated with himself and his contradictory thoughts, Sirius stalked out of the room and through the castle until he was at the base of the astronomy tower.

Then he was even more upset.

He would come up here sometimes because it gave him a great view to watch the Gryffindor Quidditch practice, but it was far enough away that they wouldn’t see him. He did it more often when he was younger because now that he was older, he was in more classes with James. They actually interacted now, for classwork if nothing else, and there _was_ nothing else. He had asked him out last year, when his heart was pounding just that bit too hard to be ignored, and gotten a confused ‘no’ in response, like James couldn’t understand why Sirius would even think to ask him. He’d tried to get some emotional distance since then, but clearly hadn’t succeeded if his subconscious took him here. He wanted to punch himself-- emotional distance from a soulmate just wasn’t possible.

Sirius sighed in defeat and trudged up the stairs. If he was already here, he might as well go all the way. He sat on the edge, letting his feet dangle as he leaned back on his hands to look at the sky. It was already past ‘getting dark’, but hadn’t quite reached ‘night’ yet. It was a good time of the day, in Sirius’s opinion, but he was biased-- being able to see in the dark because of his animagus form definitely had to do with it, not that he could tell anyone else that.

He was sat on the edge for- Merlin he didn’t even know. Long enough that it had become fully nighttime. Long enough that when he heard footsteps and turned to look, his body protested so completely that he couldn’t turn his head.

“Sirius?” James. Of all the people that could find him right now, James was probably the worst. Of course the only good option was Regulus, but still.

Sirius thought about staying still, playing it off and talking until James left so he could try to get himself to properly move again, but the chances of him needing to leave quickly were high. Slowly, he leaned forward and stretched his arms up. “James.” He groaned when his back popped back into place. He rubbed at his neck, trying to work out the kinks as he stretched his legs out, flexing to get life back into them.

“How long have you been up here?”

Sirius snapped at him before he could process the concern in his voice, “I wasn’t breaking any rules so sod off.” He rolled his shoulders experimentally, face twisting when it sent shocks of pain through his arms. “What are you doing up here anyway?” It’s not like most people came up here by themselves.

James didn’t say anything, but he didn’t leave. He sat on the floor next to Sirius, not bothering to pretend he wasn’t looking at him. “I have it on good authority I’m an oblivious idiot.”

“Congratulations.” He was _not_ in the mood to have a heart to heart. He wanted a soft surface, a warm blanket, an even warmer drink, and some bloody privacy.

“Lily is soulmates with your brother.”

Was he fucking serious right now? He wanted to talk about that? No. No way in hell. On another day, in a different mood, he’d be able to. He loved talking about Reg, he loved talking to James, and he’d be able to ignore James’s love sickness enough to get through a conversation. Right now though, he would literally rather jump in the dungeons with Blast Ended Skrewts. He started to scoot back from the edge, mentally preparing himself to stand. His arse was sore, and he was sure his hips wouldn’t be doing him any favours. Being around James was too much pain on a regular day. When he was feeling this off-center, this vulnerable? Forget about it. He _could not_ deal with this right now.

“And Remus,” James continued, as if Sirius wasn’t actively trying to leave. “Her soulmark was vague enough that I thought it might be me, but apparently Remus’s isn’t.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why he didn’t just tell me.”

“Maybe because you made heart eyes at your girlfriend any chance you got,” he ground out.

“Maybe,” James said, completely unbothered with the way Sirius was climbing to his feet, getting to his own like he was determined to have this conversation with Sirius no matter what. “Why don’t you date?”

“What?” Sirius asked, so thrown by the subject change that he paused in his escape.

“Plenty of birds are dying to get your attention, but you don’t care. Why?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he snarled. Gods why couldn’t he be left alone just this once?

James caught Sirius’s wrist before he could leave, but his grip was loose, uncontrolling. “As your soulmate, I think it’s my business,” he said quietly, in a completely un-James way-- Sirius had only ever heard him speak proudly, confidently.

He froze, eyes wide and feeling like he couldn’t breathe.

“I used to think it might be Lily,” he continued, in that same, soft voice, “we both had vague enough marks and if we looked at each other the right way, it almost worked. We never liked each other enough for that to work for long. We were basically broken up when Remus and Regulus talked to her earlier, it just needed to be official.”

Sirius tried to speak, but swallowed several times before he could. “I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“‘Bright star’. That’s what my mark says.” His thumb gently stroked the skin of Sirius’s wrist. “Do you remember when we first met?” He waited until Sirius nodded to continue. “We fit. But when you got put in Slytherin, I was young and _stupid_ enough to think it meant we couldn’t be. I’ve never felt like that with anyone else. Have you?”

Sirius was trembling but shook his head in affirmation. Everything he’d ever wanted to hear James say, was being said, but… “I have responsibilities. To my family.”

James looked heartbroken when Sirius slipped his arm out of James’s hand.

“And so do you.”

As he walked down the spiralling stairs, his steps piercing and echoing, his chest tightened. In all his years of imagining, he’d never turned James down when he asked. When he pictured it happening, Sirius told his parents to bugger off and he left with James, running away like Reg had mentioned.

Sirius was halfway to the Slytherin dorms, barely keeping himself together by the seams. It wasn’t until he heard noise in the corridor behind him that he realised he couldn’t deal with anyone like this, wouldn’t be able to keep a blank face, let alone pretend he was fine.

“Sirius!” James stopped in front of him, clearly having been running. Sirius wondered if he’d run all the way from the tower. “Last year-- you asked me on a date. Where was family responsibility then?”

Sirius blinked dumbly at him. He remembered? “It was a mistake,” he said slowly, like his body was too busy trying not to cry to accomplish anything else, even so practiced a lie.

“No, me saying no was a mistake. Sirius… give me another chance? Please?”

Unbidden, tears started slipping down his cheeks. “That’s easy for you to say,” he croaked.

James tentatively hugged him, holding him more completely when Sirius folded into him, his head resting  in the crook of James’s neck. “I’ll help you. Whatever you need, whatever I can do, I will. We could be great together. I think I can make you happy, let me try.”

Sirius let out a wet laugh, but it sounded (and felt) more like a sob. “Yeah? And when my parents kick me out?”

“You’ll always be welcome in my House. You and Regulus both.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

James kissed the side of his head, and Sirius found himself feeling a little better for it all the while wishing it was more. “You better.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I list all of them, so here are the soulmarks for anyone who was curious: Sirius=Potter crest, Lily=”Wild Hearts”, James=”Bright Star”, Regulus=Werewolf and doe silhouettes, Remus=Lily flower outlining Leo constellation. 
> 
> This is from a prompt driven blog @[imaginejamesandsirius](https://imaginejamesandsirius.tumblr.com) on tumblr. Feel free to send in a prompt of your own!


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